The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 06, 1998
James F Brennan, III, Austin, TX (US);
Dwayne L LaBrake, Austin, TX (US);
3M Innovative Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for writing arbitrary refractive index perturbations along an optical waveguide. The method includes the steps of providing a waveguide having a photosensitive region and providing a writing beam of actinic radiation having a nominal diameter D, the writing beam defining an optical axis. A waveguide is translated relative to the optical axis of the writing beam at a known velocity v(t). A modulator modulates the radiation intensity I(t) of the writing beam as a function of time t to deliver a fluence of radiation, .PHI.(x), directly to the waveguide, wherein ##EQU1## The refractive index change .DELTA.n.sub.(x) at a position x along the waveguide length is related to the fluence delivered to that position as, .DELTA.n.sub.(x) =C.multidot..PHI..sub.(x), wherein C is a scaling factor that accounts for the photosensitivity of the waveguide.